Threat VSect-The Birth
by VampChocKami
Summary: "I thought you would be of use to me, but it seems payment for it far outweighs that use.""You don't...remember me?""...It's not that I don't...it just doesn't matter anymore." You'd think that after a few years with Yugi, Joey Wheeler would be used to the paranormal. No dice, as the recently vanished Duke would say, and Joey's on a mission to get him back. But he does need help...
1. Prologue

Good... uh, day, morning, afternoon, month, year, whatever to you.

I am the Great and Marvellous VampChocKami and that ^, is my dismal greeting to you wonderful person reading this.

This seems a little long for a prologue but i fuss.

This is my first multi-chap story (that people besides my sister get to read) that I'm posting and I hope you enjoy :D

_le Disclaimer_: I own nothing. Like at **all**. I don't even own the _words_ in this thing. What I **do** own though, is the way they were put together in this story and I'm kinda proud o' that. :)

* * *

Lonely footsteps trod down a dark street, flickering lights illuminating feet and a sudden outburst of laughter…

Téa clutched her narrow waist as mirth spilled from her lips. An automatic smile in response to the happy sound graced the face of Duke Devlin as he looked with nervous eyes at the brunette doubled over next to him. When she began to calm down he pushed a stray strand of dark hair behind his ear and trained his dark green eyes to look indifferent.

"I assume from all that laughing that you don't hate me?"

Téa grabbed the closest lamp-post to steady herself. Crystal blue eyes met emerald and Téa realised that bursting into laughter was not one of the most sensitive ways to respond to the boy's statement.

She cleared her throat and straightened up.

"Duke, I love romance just as much as I love friendship, it doesn't matter to me _who_ you're attracted to-"

"You don't even know who I'm attracted to!" Duke interjected when it looked like he was about to hear one of Téa's friendship speeches, the love version. Her eyes widened.

"You're right! You didn't tell me you liked anybody though." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "So who is it?"

She patiently waited for the reluctant answer and easily deciphered the mutter.

"Tristan?... You're gay for Tristan?... You're gay for Tristan!"

"Please do announce it to the world Téa; I would so love the attention."

Téa immediately clapped her hands over her mouth, her mind racing.

"Seriously , I tell you I'm gay; you laugh like it's the funniest thing you've ever heard, I tell you I like Tristan and you feel the need to inform every soul in the city!"

Téa ignored him obviously.

"I don't know why I didn't see it," she said through her fingers. "You two rarely fight over Serenity anymore, in fact you hang out more than ever, and you're almost _friendly_ to each other."

Duke rolled his eyes and decided not to mention the fact that those were signs of _friendship_, not love.

_I'll probably regret this, won't I?_

He was about to utter a sarcastic reply when Téa abruptly said something that chilled his bones and answered his previous question to himself with a definite 'yes'.

"Call him."

"… What?"

"You heard me. Call him. Call him right now and tell him it's urgent, that you have to meet and then you confess!" she smiled.

"I … what?"

"You _heard _me Duke. Confess! Tell him your feelings tonight!"

He stared at the fanatic girl in front of him and decided that the regret he expected would be coming along sooner than he thought. His suspicions were proven correct when it seemed she had magically whisked away his cell phone and was looking for Tristan's number. He grabbed for it too late, she had already dialled and he could hear the: "Duke?" coming from his phones speaker. He spared a moment to marvel at her speed before putting the phone to his ear and saying the first thing that popped into his head.

"That was quick, you waiting for my call or something?"

Téa looked extremely pleased with this statement. Tristan grunted and said: "As if."

Téa chose that moment to say, and not quietly: "If you don't tell him, I will."

Duke stared at her in horror.

"Is that Téa? Why are you with Téa? Wait, tell me what?"

He sighed and put a hand over his striking eyes.

"I need to talk to you about something important, right now. Meet me at – ah!"

Duke finished his statement with a surprised cry. Then a scream from Téa.

"Duke! Ah!"

The second thump of a falling body could be heard, along with the faint sound of broken glass. On the other side of the line Tristan's grip on his cell phone tightened.

"Duke? Duke! What happened? Where are you? Duke!"

A few seconds earlier and about ten storeys up.

"An extremely volatile mixture and you put it on the windowsill!"  
"It's perfectly fine Professor Amarikatt. See. Right here, undisturbed, ready for test – oh!"

An extremely fragile glass beaker containing an extremely volatile mixture fell from a ten story building. It landed on a Mr Duke Devlin, interrupting his call. This doesn't sound that tragic if you didn't know what he was talking about.

"Miss Jordan! Be careful near the window! You're still holding the second test -" crash! "- beaker."

An embarrassed Amelie Jordan turned to face an annoyed Jabdul Amarikatt.

"Idiot woman!" Jabdul shouted in frustration. A sharp sound reverberated on the walls of the dark laboratory.

"Sexist bastard!" footsteps moved away from the window and a door slammed open. The offended woman turned to the shocked professor and schooled her face to look indifferent.

"Come Professor, if they haven't ingested it yet we may have a chance!"

"It may be best if they did ingest it, we were pressed for test subjects."

Two prone forms lay in the street, a dark liquid that glints blood-red in the dim light pooled around their heads.

"They look like corpses."

"Don't be so negative Jabdul; there is no need to panic. Their appearance is part of the process. In a week this Mr-" A moment passed as she rummaged through his clothing and found a wallet in his back pocket. "-Devlin,"

"As well as Ms Gardner," Jabdul added from his position next to Téa's purse.

"-will be the leading members of the new V-sect!" Amelie stood and finished dramatically. Jabdul chuckled sinisterly from his crouch, then paused.

"Wait a minute, what happened to calling me Professor, Jordan?"

"You were being a sexist bastard earlier; you lost what little respect I had for you five minutes ago."

"That's harsh Am-"

"Shh!" Amelie crouched down, ignoring Jabdul's glare.

"What do we have here? It seems our Mr Devlin was making a call.

"Well, I'm sorry but your call has been disconnected. If you value your life, please don't try again… ever."

A beep resounded in Tristan's ear. His first reaction was to stare at his bedroom wall in horror.

His next reaction wasn't nearly as silent.

* * *

Well, that was the prologue of VSect-The Birth. Part of what I'm hoping will turn into a series called Threat.

I hope you liked it and ignore my arrogant behaviour and review.

I don't really like to ask for things much but I think this is necessary.

I mean, I enjoy talking to myself as much as the next slightly insane girl but this wouldn't be talking to myself. It would be talking to an empty room. and in my opinion that is far more uncomfortable and lonely-making. So if you would please leave a review on your way out that would be awesomesauce. :P

Oh, and feel free to criticise me and point out **any** mistakes. I don't care if I just left out a full stop, I would like to know.

Well, I think that's it so byez :D

P.S - (Guess that wasn't it) The moment I get my first review I'll get on my computer and finish typing up Chapter 1. Then it should be posted that day or the day after, depending on where I am.


	2. Chapter 1

Hello again! Dear wonderful person.

Have you told yourself you're awesome yet today?

Well I haven't. I'M AWESOME!

And so are you, in every way. :D

Well, now that my overexcited bubbly moment is over, let's get down to business.

I want to thank Nightmare Senshi for my first ever super special awesome review and it is going to be _quite_ interesting my friend. In my opinion. But we don't get to the proper genetic modification until later. For now it's just Joey starting his quest almost all alone, like an idiot.

I feel I probably should have mentioned in the prologue that this is a yaoi story. Oopsie. For peoples who don't like that you're welcome to leave but I'd encourage you to stay for the story, because I don't write as much for the couple as I write for their adventures.

I have quite a few pairings 1) because I'm indecisive, 2) because I felt like it and 3) because it's fun when you have a bunch of people to mess around with :P So here they are:

DukexTristan (Already mentioned in prologue)

SetoxJoey (Main pairing)

YugixAtem/Yami (They are basically the same person I'm not going to differentiate)

There will be more and they will all be BxB so be warned, because making people gay is fun! :D

So now that that's all cleared up, here's the disclaimer and the first chapter of my wonderful new story: VSect-The Birth

_le Disclaimer_: I own many things, thanks to my wonderful parents, but I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

* * *

**Chap1  
**

**If They're Destin****ed to Meet Why Not After School?**_**  
**_

_**The memory loss came in stages.**_

_**The first day was absolute clarity. He recalled every moment of his birth and recounted every hour of every day of his life as a child.**_

_**Then the second day came and that clarity was lost. When he learned to walk, to talk, those memories… gone. It was not that he didn't know how to anymore, just how he learned, who taught him, that faded into black.**_

"_**How much more…?" he murmured.**_

"_**How much more of my life will I lose?"**_

On a mild Monday morning a blonde head bobbed through a crowd of brunettes, similar (though rare) blondes and others, all headed in one direction: the entrance to Domino High School. This particular blonde head belonged to one Joey Wheeler, and it was filled with concerns for his recently vanished friends.

Not far off another fairly-important-to-the-story-neatly-styled-chestnut-brown head pushed open a limo door and walked in the same direction of the throng. It drew close to Joey, feeling, though no one would believe it and itself would certainly deny it (claiming superior intelligence and lack of emotion all the while), equally concerned as our Joey and for the _same_ thing. Would you believe that? Seto Kaiba and Joey Wheeler having something in common. Next thing you know they'd ne having a decent, civil conversation with each other…

"Mutt."

"Jerk."

Yeah. I knew it was too much to hope for.

Their morning greeting out of the way the two rivals, in an absent minded silence, entered their classroom together. Friends hushed friends and poked acquaintances and there was an almost instantaneous silence. Then the whispers started, following Seto and Joey to their desks.

"_Is that Joey Wheeler and Seto Kaiba… _not_ fighting?" "Did hell freeze over or something?" "They walked in here together and we didn't hear them from the hallway?" "I told you to stop chewing on my pen caps!"_

They sat down almost simultaneously and turned to stare out a nearby window, lost in thought. The bell rang and their teacher walked in, late as usual but always on time for the first real lesson of the day.

"Morning class. Joey, Seto, stop bickering before I put you both in deten… tion… again…"

A wide eyed Yuki Nakamura stared at the two boys who could not possibly be Seto Kaiba and Joey Wheeler.

"Are… are you two okay?" They didn't seem to hear her. "Seto! Joey!" Each head snapped toward her, though with Seto it was more of a quick flick of the eyes toward the woman then a slow lazy turn of the head, like he was bored. Both gave her their full attention.

"Are you boys… feeling okay?"

Joey tilted his head to the side quizzically in a way that resembled a curious puppy. Seto's only change in expression was a quirked eyebrow.

"Why?" they asked in unison.

Seto turned his head slightly to the right to send an annoyed glance across the aisle that separated their seats. Joey glared right back. Yuki sighed in relief; all was right with the world.

"You boys are just fine then. Okay, open your books to page forty seven and read the first paragraph… Téa."

Silence answered this and a dark aura fell over Joey, Yugi and strangely over Seto as well. After a cursory glance Yuki decided to chance asking about Miss Gardner.

"Do any of you know where Téa is?"

Seto looked indifferent, Joey clenched his fists and looked away, Yugi attempted to answer the question wishing he had Atem with him to comfort him and give him the strength to say this steadily.

"Not here… She'll be gone for a while… I don't know how long."

He noticed Miss Nakamura give him a concerned look and, sensing that she should not pry, continue.

"Okay then, Kana please read the first paragraph on page forty seven."

"Yes ma'am."

"What were they even doing out, late Saturday night, anyway?"

"Getting a birthday gift for you Tristan." Yugi replied.

"What? Who told them my birthday was this Saturday?"

"Well me, o'course."

"Joey!"

"What Tris? You know how much Duke loves ta party, so I uh, mentioned it in passin'."

"Strange, I was there and it sounded like you gave Duke the exact time and place of Tristan's birth."

"Shut up Ryou."

Tristan glared at Joey over the table.

"What? He was askin'!"

"He-what?"

"Well he asked if anyone's birthday was comin' up and I mentioned yours, then he started askin' me 'bout things ya liked an' stuff and we ended up havin' a whole conversation 'bout ya."

"Huh? I already told Duke my birthday was coming up; I said I didn't want anything though."

"Well there ya go! Then you can't blame be can ya?"

"This is still your fault!"

"What? How!"

"I don't know but somehow-."

"Really!" Yugi's outburst managed to surprise all three remaining boys into staring in stunned silence at the infuriated tri-colour haired boy.

"I can't believe you two are arguing when two of our friends are _missing_!" he whispered the last word and no one could miss the frantic look of worry in his sweet purple eyes. One could almost hear him thinking: _not again, I can't stand losing anyone else… please_.

"Remind me again why we didn't call the police?" Tristan seemed to have sobered.

"Because of that thing ya mentioned, the VSect. I mean, what they said they were goin' ta do sounded mad scientist like, that's gotta be somethin' supernatural right?" Joey supplied.

Time seemed to stand still for Seto Kaiba, who didn't exactly choose the best or worse time to walk past the friends' table. He froze next to a seated Joey. Tristan noticed this.

"What do you want Kaiba?" he asked rudely.

Joey whirled around in his seat. "Moneybags? What're you doin' back dere?"

"Hello Kaiba, you want to join us for lunch?" Yugi, sticking true to a hopeless routine, asked.

Ryou merely stared nervously yet curiously at the new arrival.

Seto just stood still, having difficulty, for once in a long time, holding back his questions and deductions. Did the dog just say what he thought he did? Not again. This was tiresome. These people seemed to come across the supernatural an alarming amount of times. He didn't notice Joey until the boy was mere centimetres away.

"Moneybags?" he drawled. "Uh, Seto?" he called uncertainly.

"Get out of my face mutt." Joey jumped back in comical surprise, waving his hands crazily, at Seto's sudden coming back to life. That didn't last long as he almost immediately got back into Seto's personal space, looking up slightly as the other boy was half a head taller than him.

"I am not a-." Joey paused and abruptly sat down; he seemed lost in thought again.

"What's wrong mutt? Cat got your tongue?" Tristan was about to retaliate for Joey as it looked like the blonde's brain had just up and gone for a walk, leaving his body staring hollowly at the floor, when the bell rang. Joey was startled out of his reverie by the noise and Seto looked up. As the blue-eyed boy turned to walk away he felt warm breath on his neck, stopping him in his tracks.

"This ain't over moneybags."

"I hoped not. Meet me behind the school after classes."

"By the tree?"

A nod.

"I'll be a little late, wait for me."

Seto whipped around to snap at him about how Seto Kaiba waits for no one but the blonde had already bounced away towards his friends.

* * *

If they were destined to meet, why not after school?

I know that they've already met and all but this is different. It is the beginning of a rather difficult relationship, that wasn't the easiest to begin with. Does it seem like I disregard Téa too much? I hope not. I actually don't hate her, she just doesn't seem all that important to me. So I'm not going to kill her off. I've decided she'll be an at least slightly distressing spice to add to the sauce that is my story. :D

Here it is. I finished and posted the chapter as soon as I could after my first review. Thanks again Nightmare Senshi.

Well, looks like today's gonna be update day. Every Sunday (or Wednesday if I'm feeling extra good) I shall update.

Please leave a review, talk to me, you wouldn't believe how happy it makes me to hear from you even if it's bad news.

Ciao my Chinas ;P


	3. Chapter 2

Here's another amazing installment of my wonderful story.

Not that anyone does or doesn't care, but it's here anyway.

A note or two: 1) Simultaneous thinking: **_Works like this_****_  
_**2) Simultaneous talking: **"Works like this."****  
**3) This does not apply to the excerpt at the beginning of the chapter

4) Okay, so more than two notes.

_le Disclaimer_: The incredibly complicated work of owning something of this amazingness isn't mine. And if you don't know who it belongs to... why are you here?

Enjoy :)

* * *

**Chap 2**

**Great Minds Think Alike... and Speak Simultaneously?  
**

_**It was slipping away from her.**_

_**The memories.**_

_**The years, by the day, the hour, the minute. Every second of it faded to black. She never liked the colour black. Pink and yellow were her favourite colours. If only she could remember… if only she could remember why.**_

"_**Someone, please…" she whimpered.**_

"_**Help me…"**_

He and Joey shared their last class together, so it was hard to miss when his best friend went the opposite direction to habit.

"Joey the exit to hell is that way." Tristan said pointing in the direction he, as well as most of the school, was walking. Joey turned back around to face his bemused friend.

"I know. I'm not walking with you guys today though. I gotta do somethin'."

"What do you mean you gotta do somethin'? What do you gotta do?" Tristan called after his best friend's retreating back.

"Just don't follow me, 'kay?"

Before Tristan could disobey, Joey had already lost him. He sighed.

"That guy sure can run. Well," he turned to his original direction and set out for home. "Better tell Yugi that Joey says bye."

He stopped running the moment he was sure that Tristan had given up.

"Whew. You know normally he don't give in dat fast." He turned around and gazed at Tristan's back. His shoulders were slumped and he was slightly dragging his feet.

_He misses 'em, Duke and Téa. Especially Duke. I mean he an' Téa barely spoke but he and Duke were… well no one would call 'em friendly but they're kinda like… me an' Kaiba I suppose. They're always fightin' but… they'd miss each other if they were separated…_

Joey stared into the space Tristan had recently occupied; it was filled with other students now. He searched the happy crowd until he found his friend's back again. A dark haired boy bounded up to the forlorn form and roughly put his arm around the brunette's shoulders. The boy was roughly shaken off and shouted at but laughed at the outburst and just continued to walk alongside an irate Tristan.

Joey smiled.

His eyes caught a flash of colour and he watched Yugi approach Tristan with a sad smile that still lit the hallway despite his mood. He watched the short boy near a brown-haired girl who waved cheerily and bent down slightly to talk to the amethyst eyed boy and his smile turned genuinely happy.

A routine repeated so many times the afterimages burned his eyes, or maybe those were the tears he refused to shed. He watched this imagined scene until suddenly his eyes widened and the dark-haired boy and cheery girl vanished, replaced by his realisation.

_It _would _hurt Tristan… to see Duke gone. So does that mean…? That I would…? Me? Miss Kaiba? … What the hell! Not likely! No matter what Yug' says, it's once a jerk always a jerk for me. I couldn't care if I tried. Maybe if he wasn't a freaking robot._

He turned and rushed down the hall, checking a battered watch he'd 'borrowed' from his dad he figured he'd spent five minutes just standing there thinking. He started running in earnest. His previous thoughts still haunting him.

_Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it…_

He shook his head and then looked up determinedly.

_Don't worry Tris. I'll find 'em, I promise, and Joey Wheeler always keeps his promises_.

"What was I going to say to Wheeler? Seto Kaiba waits for no one? Well I guess I found someone I'll wait for."

Leaning against a tree behind his business class, Seto Kaiba stood staring dejectedly at his feet, waiting (Ugh, how he detested that word) for the annoying mutt that would come when his master called, but took his own time getting there.

The young businessman frowned. Getting all worked up over a dog? How pathetic. Calm yourself Seto, he'll be here, he said he'd be late.

_Yes, but ten minutes is pushing it!_

"Hey Kaiba." Joey's face was too close again. The most controlled man on the planet had to struggle to keep his cool and even _then _Seto gasped slightly.

"How long does it take to get from one side of the building to the other, mutt?"

He snapped to hide his slight shock.

"Well I woulda been here five minutes ago, but I got busy thinkin'."

An automatic disbelieving eyebrow rose on Seto's face.

"You? Think? Ha! But seriously what took you so long?"

Joey immediately blew up.

"Grr! Quit it Kaiba, I came here to talk not fight!"

Seto frowned and almost sighed at his own uncharacteristic behaviour. He'd usually be more serious than this.

"My apologies. Force of habit."

"Just listen for – huh?"

_Did he just…? That… was unexpected._

Joey dropped inelegantly on the ground on the ground, as if his legs had lost all strength.

"You just said sorry… to _me_." He whispered disbelievingly.

"I did." Seto simply replied as he sat down as well, as elegant as Joey was not, and leaned his back against the tree.

A silence followed as Joey struggled to accept the fact that Seto Kaiba _apologised_ to him.

_Overreact much? It was just one o' dose polite apologies that you say when you aren't behavin' right. Kaiba has no feelings. He's a robot, remember? There was somethin' I came here for. I'd rather be miles away from Kaiba right now but there's something I need… somethin' I need to know, whether or not he has feelings._

The boys got to thinking.

_It's time you asked him_, Joey thought.

_It's now or never_, Seto thought.

_**I hate this but…**_

"**I need information on the VSect."**

They blinked at each other.

"**And you think I have it?"**

They frowned at each other.

"**That needs to stop."**

Joey let out a sound of frustration. When he was done he felt a cool palm over his mouth.

"I'll talk first."

Joey relaxed and Seto removed his hand.

"Go ahead."

A thoughtful moment passed as Seto decided on the best question to ask.

"Why do you want information on the VSect?"

"It has to do with why Téa and Duke disappeared."

"I was right. Perfect."

Joey could barely detect the bitterness in the other's tone but, despite being doubtful of Seto's possession of feelings, he took the time to read his rival and notice it.

"So why do _you_ want to know about the VSect? You don't have any friends that could be kidnapped and Mokuba looks alright."

The blonde felt himself being examined, Seto was determining what he could be told. The stony brunette opened his mouth to pass his judgement when Joey's words registered.

"Why did you say it like that? Like Mokuba's here?"

"Because he is." Joey pointed and sure enough the 13 year old was bounding towards them. Seto almost sighed; this will have to be continued.

"We can't talk about this now. Keep tomorrow afternoon free."

"Huh? Why?"

"You're visiting my mansion."

* * *

So there 'twas.

A secret meeting between two passionate souls and they talked about... needing intel... yeah...

Well, that's what the plot ghost tells me and I must obey her!

And I thank her as much as I possibly can for my sprinkling of talent.

Someone else I'd like to thank is Sakaiya for reviewing.

Dear Sakaiya(Because any reviewer is dear to me): I wanna get started on my baddies. My intention wasn't to make them hard for you to understand, though it's awesome that it was. Humans _are_ hard to understand and scientists (In my opinion) even more so. Also I don't like things too serious and I wasn't sure if I'd made anyone smile yet so I wanted an amusing element. You don't see them until you see Duke Téa again so I just hope you remember them. And I'm sorry Téa came off as a bad friend, she really isn't supposed to be, her rush is explained later, in like Chapter 10. Thanks for reviewing and here's an equally long reply to go with your long review :D

If you liked, if you hated, or if you just wanted to criticise please review.

So how much does Kaiba know?

How will the next day go?

Why am I asking questions that are probably not actually on your mind?

I DON'T KNOW :D

But before they're answered there's a little secret someone needs to find out. ;)


	4. Chapter 3

Ay yo peepz!

:D That just cracks me up :D

Probably cause this guy I... know, speaks like that.

Ahem, moving on.

Here's Chapter 3! A little... okay _much_ earlier than expected, for those expecting. And the reason is because it's my amazing, wonderful, hilarious, violent, bordering on sadistic/emo cousin's sixteenth birthday!

Happy Berfday Zackie!

This chapter's dedicated to you even though you'd probably just call me a yaoi fangirl again and harrass my achilles heel (That's painful you know?)

So if nothing else this is for you purely to annoy you and, because it's something I love, to show my appreciation for the older couz I consider my brother.

Remember to eat and sleep between the gaming, I know you forget to do that.

I don't know why I'm talking about him like he's gonna read this but I have the distinct impression I'm rambling about things you don't care about, so on to the amazingness that is my story. :D

_le Disclaimer_: I have a complete lack of ownage for Yu-Gi-Oh but I do believe I own the story line.

* * *

**Chap 3  
**

**Bad? News ****on a Good Da****y**_**  
**_

_**Another couple months' worth of an hour passed.**_

_**It's all gone now. Those months. More of it's gone.**_

_**Where are they?**_

_**Where are the saviours we'd relied on? The saviours we were promised… our friends.**_

_**Come. Save us.**_

_**Before we forget…**_

_**Before it's all gone. **_

__My pretty breaks keep disappearing (;_;)

Mokuba reached his brother as Joey was invited. Seto stood up.

"Seto! Hey Joey."

"Hey kid."

"Mokuba. How was school?"

"Eh, same old, same old. I beat some guy at Capsule Monsters but that's nothing to brag about, he wasn't a challenge."

The light scorn, superior air, dismissal of opponents who weren't challenging enough. _Oh, that's a Kaiba alright, _Joey thought. Not that he wasn't aware of the fact but there was a sweet element to the kid that almost made you forget.

"Good work anyway Mokuba." Seto ruffled his brother's dark hair then lifted his face up.

"But you shouldn't think like that, treasure your victories as much as you mourn your losses."

Mokuba looked into his elder brother's eyes, smiled and cheerfully said: "Okay Seto."

Joey missed the smile Seto returned.

It was gone by the time the elder Kaiba turned slightly to give Joey an inquiring look. Joey nodded.

"Yeah, I'll be dere. You're giving me a ride though, right?"

"Of course, if I let you get there on your own you wouldn't show up until Thursday."

Joey rolled his eyes, for once not retaliating.

"See ya Kaiba."

"Goodbye Wheeler."

They turned and walked in opposite directions.

Joey took a route that would allow him to wander around the school grounds for a bit, he had to think. About a lot.

_Will Kaiba really be able to help me? He seems ta want ta know as much as I do... No. I didn't go ta him for what he already might've known; I went to him for what he could find out. A bigwig like him has ta have connections._

He meandered more purposefully; he had to get home, after all.

_No more guessin'. I'll find out tomorrow_.

Where did they go? (;_;)

Green grass bent under measured footsteps and sprung under energetic bounces.

"Hey Seto, why's Joey visiting the mansion tomorrow? Don't you hate each other anymore? Are you finally gonna be friends?"

"What have I told you about friends Mokuba?"

"I know, I know. I also know you're avoiding the question." The boy's grey-blue eyes sparkled with amusement as he smugly crossed his arms over his chest. His private school's uniform rustled with the movement.

"…"

"C'mon, what's the thing you guys couldn't keep on talking about when I got there?"

"Oh, you heard that did you?"

"Yeah." Mokuba watched his brother intently.

"No more questions Mokuba."

The boy's eyes widened and he immediately started to plead.

"But Seto-!"

"Shut up Mokuba."

The forlorn boy's shoulders slumped as he sighed and ducked into the limo.

"Aww…"

"That's talking." His brother followed.

"Is not!"

"No, but that is."

The boy huffed and mock-sulked in silence, his brother bestowing a rare fond smile on his sibling as they headed for home.

I miss them soo muuuch (;_;)

The worn white door's lock clicked and Joey turned around cautiously to inspect what he could see of the room. Hanging his keys on a hook next to the old door, where he would be able to easily grab them, he stepped further forward in the passageway entering the apartment.

It opened into a small living room/kitchen. A frayed leather couch faced an old television; to his left, once he'd fully entered the area, was the kitchen section of the room with an empty bowl and glass on the counter.

There was a door next to the kitchen area and two more in the opposite wall.

Okay, good. Everything was as he'd left it that morning. That meant one of two things.

Either his father wasn't home yet or it was a good day and he wasn't going to have to dodge flying objects and the occasional insult.

He stepped toward the couch.

"Joey?" a voice called.

No slurring? Check. Coherent? Check. Not followed by an insult? He paused for a second to check this one. After a moment of hearing only shuffling footsteps he determined that today was a good day.

Joey immediately relaxed.

"Hey dad."

He walked casually to the centre of the small living room and dropped his school bag next to the worn leather couch. His dad stepped further out of his room.

"How was school? His father sat on the battered piece of furniture.

"Same old, same old." His son shrugged, still standing. The older man looked up concernedly.

"You're doing the work, right?"

"Course I am pop."

"Good. It's not that I don't trust that you are. It's just… when you say things like that… I worry."

Joey frowned, remembering a few years back when his father had ample reason though not enough awareness to worry when he noticed the bottle clutched in his dad's hands. This brought back more memories, just as unpleasant.

One clearer than the others from just a week ago.

He immediately tensed. His father looked up with the honey brown eyes his son inherited, with the same sort of spark that had dimmed over the stressing years. Concerned at Joey's sudden change of attitude he frowned as Joey seemed to freeze to the spot.

"You're not gonna…?" Joey pointed at the bottle.

His father looked down at the offending object and sighed, almost regretfully but with resolve.

"No. I thought I would but I decided I needed to be coherent to finally tell you this."

Joey relaxed again. His father was a good, kind, gentle and honest man… when he was sober.

Nevertheless Joey cautiously thought on the statement.

_Finally tell me what?_

"I better not be adopted." He joked nervously.

The older Wheeler chuckled.

_No, but you may wish to be, my boy_, the weary man thought. _If you don't already wish it._

The silence began to bother the restless boy.

"Tell me what?" Joey joined his father on the couch and faced him.

"… About the Sects."

Joey jolted.

"What? You know about them!"

His father gave a heavy sigh.

"I do son… and I think it's time you did too."

* * *

Is that bad news?

Is it _really_?

I mean, it's intel and Joey needed intel so that's good, right?

That's for Joey to decide.

And speaking of decisions, I'd like you, my dear reader, to decide for yourself why exactly Joey's dad knows about the Sects. I've been _waiting_ for the asking questions part of this, I never really felt there was anything to properly inquire about till now.

So why does Mr Wheeler know about that Sects?

Just how _much_ does he know?

And... will there be cake?

Well... no. This is the internet so... no. No cake.

Sorry if the '"Shut up Mokuba."' thing was out of place. Yet more of a dedication to my cousin as both of us love the abridged series. He got me into abridging but I introduced him to LK's abridged Yu-Gi-Oh.

Anyway, if you would like to answer one of the questions or just comment on the weather leave a review. (I was kidding about the weather thing, how would that even work...? Different countries and all... and I would kind of like something relating to the story...)

And sorry for (almost) promising cake. If it makes you feel better you can rummage around your cupboards until you find a sweet you like and then thank me for it when you get a right answer to the questions XD

Now I really sould end my endless ramble, but one more question: I can't decide which I like more for my other pairings. I don't know whether to go for YamixHikari pairings like tendershipping and the like or do something like thiefshipping. Honestly I'm leaning more towards thiefshipping but I want your input. These pairings aren't going to come into play for a while but I'd like to know if i should put up a poll ( If I can figure it out... -_-') It would be good if you wanted to add your opinion.

Oh, and I almost forgot to say dankie to Eriasa Jun for your review and follow, and sassysisters9294 for your follow (or story alert, I dunno what to call them -_-'). I'm glad you seem to like the story and every time I get a review or a follow/story alert thing it makes me smile till my cheeks hurt :D. So really, thank you very much.

And now I actually am ending my ramble. So please review, happy birthday Zack and I'll see you on Sunday :D :P :)


	5. Chapter 4

So it's late, but still Sunday!

I'm on time! Just barely, but still!

_le Disclaimer_: I own many things that are not Yu-Gi-Oh. Or an iPad…

This chapter is dedicated to family, which I am visiting and to Christmas, which I am not saving, because that is clichéd and stupid and it doesn't need saving dangit! Maybe it would've been fun to do I dunno.

Anyway, here's the end of my rant and the beginning of the next chapter.

Enjoy

\/

**Chap 4**

**Well, isn't today just full of wonders?**

"_**I'll start with the secret world that is the Sects. You need not know their history just that they're the monsters every human child hears in the night…"**_

XxXxXxX

He walked through school in a daze for most of the day, coming alive occasionally to laugh and joke around with his friends for the few times they could find to joke around with Duke and Tèa's disappearance weighing on their minds.

His father's words would not leave his mind. They circled like vultures around the carcass of his sanity. For some reason he just couldn't absorb these facts. He gave up on conscious movement toward the end of the day.

After their sixth attempt at calling him his friends were at a loss.

"Hey mutt." A slender hand drifted in front of his face and with the sudden snap of its fingers the world came back to him.

"Oh, so somebody is home, the nerd herd was getting tired of knocking."

Joey took a few seconds to take in Seto's superior look and Yugi, Tristan and Ryou's concerned ones set to the background of the front gate to Domino High School. Tristan's expression gradually turned reluctantly grateful.

"Thanks, I guess, Kaiba."

Seto ignored this. Tristan, predictably, fumed.

"Shall we go then, mutt?"

Joey frowned in confusion.

"Where are we going?"

Seto almost rolled his eyes.

"Not only the mannerisms of an untrained pup but the memory span of a goldfish, I see."

"Hey-!"

"The matter we discussed yesterday Wheeler."

"Wha- oh. Yeah, sorry."

"So?"

"I'll be there in a sec."

Seto turned and walked to the car awaiting them.

"Where_ are_ you going Joey?"Yugi asked as Tristan muttered profanities at Kaiba's retreating back.

"Oh, uh… Kaiba's."

"Why are you going there?" Tristan was, a little breathless from the insults but, still energetic enough to enquire.

"Well, ya see-."

"Here boy, come on." Seto called from next to the open car door. Joey growled in a way that almost seemed… dog-like.

I'm comin' Kaiba, hold yer horses!"

Joey looked back to his friends as he began walking backwards toward Kaiba.

"Gotta go guys. I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Bye Joey…" Ryou was the only one able to speak as the boys stared in shocked silence at Joey running toward Seto.

"Good boy." Seto ruffled Joey's hair and Joey attempted to bite him. Seto tapped him on the nose and said: "Naughty."

The three boys were suddenly desperately trying to hold back laughter as Seto calmly stepped into the car. They gave up on their endeavour as soon as Joey regained his senses and lunged into the car after the offender.

xxxxx

"…'m not a dog." Joey's arms were crossed over a broad chest and he stared sullenly through his shaggy blonde locks out the window. Seto chuckled.

"What's so funny Kaiba?" Joey barked.

"You look like a sulking puppy." He was shaking with trying to hold back laughter now. Joey growled and that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Seto started laughing uncontrollably as Joey stared at him, shocked. He smiled, for once Kaiba wasn't laughing an evil laugh and it sounded… nice. A voice travelled from the front of the car.

"Um, sir? Mr Kaiba are you… laughing?"

Seto immediately froze. He cleared his throat.

"No Lazarus, you're mistaken."

He wanted to hit this Lazarus guy for interrupting a wonder.

"Er, okay. We're here."

The car stopped and Joey wrenched his eyes away from Seto to marvel at the magnificent piece of architecture that was where Seto Kaiba lived.

The car had driven up a winding pathway through a beauteous garden to the grand front doors. His car door was opened by a caramel skinned boy wearing a black uniform and glasses. He looked around Joey's age. He hadn't noticed Kaiba exiting the vehicle.

"Hey. Who are you?" he asked this new appearance.

"Me? I'm Laz."

_Laz? Oh, the driver. This is him? He's a little… young._

"Nice ta meetcha Laz. Name's Joey."

"Nice ta meet you too." Lazarus smiled.

Seto suddenly ghosted behind the boy.

"Lazarus, I would advise you to cease pestering my guest if you wish to keep your job."

"Oh! Yes sir. Won't happen again sir." Lazarus stood stiffly and waited for Seto to leave again. Joey followed.

"Boss man be trippin'."

"I heard that Lazarus."

Uh, sorry. So sorry sir. Won't happen again." Lazarus bowed to Seto's back as they traipsed up the steps to that grand entrance that was Seto Kaiba's front door. Joey laughed.

"You're a funny guy Laz. See ya."

The young chauffer lifted his head.

_He's not like the other guests, that's for sure._

He paled until he seemed transparent. His black suit dropped from his shoulders leaving him in a t-shirt and baggy jeans.

_Now to go visit the reason I stay with cold bastard._

He walked in the direction of the garage, pondering the strange new guest.

xxxxx

Seto strolled through the magnificent doors that seemed to open at the command of his presence. A rich red carpet extended to the top of a staircase at the back of the room and where it split, right and left, to the upper story. A row, on either side of it, of servants and maids greeted him and Joey as they walked to that large staircase at the back of the room. If you could call it a staircase, and if you could call it a room. Both were too grand and huge and… made of marble and expensive wood to be called such inferior words.

They ascended the staircase and turned to the set of stairs that extended to the right. Joey couldn't help but stare at the magnificent painting of a blue eyes white dragon on the wall. When he looked closer he noticed it was a mosaic designed to look like a painting. He stared in awe at it before he was tapped lightly on the shoulder.

"My wing is this way. We can talk in one if my rooms, we won't be disturbed."

.

.

.

.

Well that was it.

Hope you're quivering in anticipation. Then again, probably not.

I'm feeling distinctly alone in this room by the by my friends. Just sayin'.

I trust you all enjoyed the end of the world and hope you have a very merry Christmas.

I'm gonna put the date of the my updates on these. Just in case I make a random joke that concerns the date and someone reads this a year later… it could happen!

Huh… it occurred to me that I probably should have warned about mild language… aw, well. No one's scarred right? I hear a lot worse around.

Buh bye now :P :D

23/12/2012


	6. Chapter 5

This should have been posted hours ago.

I'm lazysauce! I admit it! Awesome-_**but also lazysauce!**_

It may seem like an argument with myself but-**no, it's an argument with yourself.**

Shutup! Anyway, I'd distinguish who was arguing with who but this is recent to me, I wonder if I'm arguing with my muse? She does seem like the artistic side of me, but also extremely logical-ohmygoodness there's two of them!

Before the madness completely overtakes me I'd like to thank Eriasa Jun and Zack(Guest) for my reviews and letting me know that I'm still doing okay. I'm glad it's still interesting :D and thank you for not calling me a yaoi fangirl Zackie.

**?: Shutup and tell the friggin'story!**

Kam: The frigg' are you?!

_le Disclaimer_: I own many things that are **not** Yu-Gi-Oh.

_**?: Like books, you own a lot of those.**_

Kam: … You're the other one aren't you?

_**?: … yes.**_

Kam: If you haven't already, ignore this and enjoy the story.

* * *

**Chap 5**

**Do You Need a Haircut?**

"_**Six of them. C, D, G, H, I and S. Each are specialists of a certain skill or possess a certain… trait, that makes them extraordinary. They're beyond human comprehension my boy… but not beyond human dreams…"**_

_****_oO0Oo

Joey stared at the thoughtful brunette gazing icy blue holes into the sky hued wall of his royally decorated bedroom. Joey hadn't expected this.

He was thinking too much, almost like he cared… Joey understood that this was a delicate situation. There were things that could and could not be said and they both had secrets. But Joey had a sneaking suspicion and it was time to test his theory…

"**What are the letters for pop?"**

"**Each Sect has a name of course; it's just easier to use a letter.**

**His father set his hand under his chin and abandoned the beer bottle, leaving it on the scratched coffee table before them.**

"**Ah, let's see… The S is for Spirit Sect. strange people, with an old way of talking and find it as hard as breaking off a leg to detach from someone- or some**_**thing**_**- they've bonded with."**

**His father gave him a knowing look here for a reason he couldn't fathom. He turned and looked thoughtful then.**

"**G for the Fallen God Sect. They're distant, but powerful. Beings that could grant you the world but with a price that would haunt you. I once knew a man, a spirit in fact, who couldn't stand being in a different dimension, a parallel to the living world. He couldn't stand being so close, yet so far from his last family. All he had remaining was a sister, and all she had remaining was him until he died. The girl was devastated, she couldn't stand it either. She was about ready to join her brother in the other world when the man I knew, Marcus, decided he would find a way to live again."**

**Joey raised an eyebrow at the deviation, but was interested in the story.**

"**He went to a fallen angel of death and said he would pay anything to be alive again. The angel, Cien I believe, knew that his sister was about to commit suicide but, instead of telling Marcus that his sister would be joining him shortly, made the deal and asked Marcus to be his servant. Marcus agreed and shortly after he lived again his sister was in the hospital for her attempted suicide."**

**He wanted to ask if the sister got better but Joey knew that this story wasn't going to end well.**

"**His sister got out of the hospital a few weeks later."**

**Joey jerked his head up in surprise.**

"**They had one week together before she was killed in a robbery."**

**Joey gasped.**

"**Marcus went to begin his servitude of Cien then, and asked Cien why she had to die one day. Cien turned to him and said in a matter of fact tone, in fact, he sounded **_**amused**_** and said: "An eye for an eye. A life for a life. She had to die so you could live."**

**Joey gaped in horror.**

"**He didn't-?" Joey asked disbelievingly, his father shrugged.**

"**Marcus asked one day, if the former angel had had his sister killed, he didn't get an answer."**

**His father wiped a sympathetic look off his face.**

"**The H… for the Human Sect- oh yes."**

**His father added as his expression changed to a different kind of surprise.**

"**You can't have thought that the sects would have remained such a well-kept secret without a little inside help?"**

**Joey shook the astonished look off his face.**

"**The others?"**

"**Ah yes, where was I? Oh, the ISect. Imagine Sect. They're not a… people. They're more… the scientists of the Sect world. Their knowledge seems, and probably is, boundless. No one's been able to beat them at what they know, and they know a lot."**

**His father paused with his hand rubbing his blonde beard thoughtfully. In his eyes entered a strange mix of admiration and loathing. With this contradicting expression he continued.**

"**Then you get… the DSect. Dragons."**

**Resigned to the fact that they were superior, submissive, this was something Joey had never seen in his father. In all his drunken rants not one of them was one where he thought he was weak. In fact all of them centred around 'ungrateful, stuck up pricks who think they're better than him'.**

**Not once drunk did Jonathon Wheeler admit to someone being better than him. Joey didn't like how this DSect changed things. These evil supernatural organisations were changing what he knew about his old man. Now he had to concentrate on the fact that the man he'd been stuck with for the past decade or so was the actor, not this submissive joke.**

"**Rich bastards."**

**All at once Joey felt relieved and guilty and unsure of his ability to read his father. Maybe he was mistaken, he'd imagined that submission.**

"**They're known as much for their elegance as their capability for destruction. They're almost something of a King Sect, they **_**are **_**ruled by a royal family, I understand that their prince lives right here in Domino. A blue-eyed, arrogant asshole that wealth seems to follow like a stench. That shouldn't be surprising though; it's well known that dragons are attracted to treasure…"**

"I'd bow or kneel or somethin' but I grew up without trainin'. 'Sides I haven't been assigned, so it wouldn've really mattered huh?"

"Then you're…?"

Joey nodded in affirmation at what Seto was insinuating.

"CSect."

'**The Canine Sect. we're a good people Joey: loyal, reliable and an amazing companion to our Masters or, to use the technical term, those we're assigned to. Shapeshifters at root but the dogs rule now."**

**Joey felt it again. That confusion, who was the liar again? He didn't know anymore. He tried to find comfortable, familiar things to hold on to. He had a sister, his father was a drunk, he was blonde, he ran into supernatural things all the time, how was this dif- this wasn't working. He needed a different distraction, words, words would do.**

"**They sound like lapdogs… and you're talkin' like you're one of 'em."**

**His dad shook his own shaggy blonde hair out of his face and ran a hand through the messy locks. His tired eyes dropped to the stained and dirtied carpet as he tugged on the grasped hair. He pulled some in front of his eyes to distractedly inspect it.**

"**I should really get a haircut." He muttered and then sighed.**

"**I am Joey. I'm one of them… and so are you."**

"It seems you have accepted Sect existence. Was it difficult?"

"To accept their existence? Not very, when you hang around Yug' this sort of thing happens a lot. Findin' out _I _was supernatural was a little… new."

Seto simply nodded.

"Hey Kaiba? If you're part of the Sect world why did ya keep sayin' ya didn' believe in all o' dat supernatural stuff?"

"Hmm… Image." Joey gave him a quizzical look.

"I have one to protect. In fact I have the image, or lack thereof, of the whole Sect world to protect, I have duties as a prince and I cannot completely rely on the HSect for covering for a world they're not fully part of. I had to doubt your beliefs so you would doubt they would be believed. The situation is contained at the source and if you did say something it would be taken care of by the HSect."

Joey thought on this for a moment.

"Why mess with our heads? Why not just ask us not to tell people?"

"Request it of you?" Seto looked scandalised. "Be in your debt?"

Joey smiled. Right. The great Seto Kaiba asks no one for favours.

"I see your point moneybags, I guess you're right."

"I usually am."

Seto tilted his head to the side and crossed his fingers under his chin in an elegant manner that made him look like the prince Joey now knew he was.

"Well, shall we continue our true conversation?"

"Sure. I don't know too much about the Sects though."

"That's fine. I was planning to educate you."

* * *

Kam: …I've named them…

**Vamp: What would you like?**

_**Choc: Heyaz!**_

Kam: Ugh… I hope that explanation was satisfactory, now you know what the Sects are exactly. If it wasn't satisfactory I explain it in the next chapter as well just in case you don't get it-

**Vamp: Filler.**

Kam: It is not filler-

_**Choc: Oh it's totally filler.**_

Kam: I thought you were the nice one!

**Vamp: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA haaaa… naiveté, how cute.**

Kam: (Growl) I'm sorry if the Marcus story sounds done but I felt like I needed to elaborate. It feels to me like one of those stories where if you really thought about it you'd end up crying so it may not seem as bad as it should.

Review asseblief (translation: please)

I am ultra-grateful to any reviewers. Thanks again Eriasa Jun, you're awesomesauce :D

Till Sunday-

**Vamp: Hey! You'll be home by then!**

_**Choc: What do you mean 'you'? It's us.**_

**Vamp: Lump myself in with that egotistical twit? Now that's a laugh!**

Kam: I knew I shouldn't have named them…

Buh-bye

30/12/2012 Sunday


	7. Chapter 6

Aloha mense!

That is two different languages right there I'm so multilingual :D

**Vamp: You're late.**

Kam: I'm not-

_**Choc: ~late~**_

Kam: it's still Sund-

_**Vamp and Choc: late.**_

Kam: I'm sorry … please enjoy this late filler chapter…

_le Disclaimer_: I own many things that are not Yu-Gi-Oh. Or a hilarious abridged series…

* * *

**Chap 6**

**Sunset?**

_**Wolf ears and a tail.**_

_**It would have been comical if it didn't look so unnatural.**_

_**Blonde, like his hair, but for some reason with a brilliant silver tint that made the hair-fur- shine, glossy. After a while it stopped being ridiculous and became awe-inspiring as his father transformed into a golden wolf with an edge of silver to his coat.**_

_**His father made a series of movements and sounds that somehow translated into words in Joey's head.**_

"_**You'll look much like I do when you transform…"**_

* * *

"You've met spirits before so you know enough about them. They're souls that haven't passed on for some reason, simple. Though they easily become attached to people and sometimes to objects, my chauffer being the perfect example-."

"Laz is a spirit?" Joey's expression was incredulous.

"He is. Onward, nothing much is known about the Fallen God Sect, except that they're ruled by an even bigger asshole than myself."

Joey blinked and narrowed his eyes at Seto.

"That's a pretty big asshole." He said, almost cautiously.

Seto smiled faintly, bitterly at this.

"I am aware of what people think of me."

Joey squirmed slightly, looking nervously as Seto's half lidded eyes.

He felt the strange urge to comfort his enemy, to tell him the little lies that would make him feel better until Joey made them true, like he'd do with Yugi. Before he could conduct this absurd action Seto continued.

"The humans in HSect do not only keep the peace between the Sect and human world, but between the Sects themselves as well. It's part of their job description. We start fighting and you get a mass of supernatural creatures breathing fire on the news."

Breathing fire…

_Dragons do that right?_

"_**Dragons. Rich bastards. They're known as much for their elegance as their capability for destruction." **_

It would either take a lot of anger or plain vindictiveness to gain a reputation for causing destruction. From what he'd seen of Kaiba he swayed more to the vindictive, but it didn't seem enough. I mean the guy is awfully suppressed and he'd often see the anger in those sharp, blue eyes, so he guessed a little bit of both.

"Listen to me mutt, I don't talk because I like the sound of my own voice."

"Why wouldn't you?" Joey asked unthinkingly.

"I -what?"

"I think it's pretty nice to listen to. A little harsh but it's gentler when you talk to Mok-." he was abruptly cut off by a hand pressed to his mouth. A familiar hand that smelled like paper and vaguely of a shampoo, like it was run through fragrantly scented hair regularly. This hand was almost immediately followed by his own palm. He meant to stop himself from talking as well but now it just looked like he was holding Seto's hand.

His eyes widened and Seto frowned, but shrugged it off and leaned closer to his face.

"What is that supposed to mean pup?"

Joey frowned and rolled his eyes before glancing at the hand over his mouth. Seto raised an eyebrow and pointed at the hand atop his. Joey blushed and removed his hand, Seto's hand followed. He sighed as Seto sat back down in his chair and continued talking.

"The Imagine Sect can consist of anyone. It doesn't matter what Sect you were born in, if you're going to be useful to them you're accepted."

Seto looked to Joey to see if he was paying attention, Joey nodded.

"Any questions?"

Joey looked thoughtful for a second then met Seto's eyes again.

"Yeah. Do they have humans there? In ISect?"

"Regular human scientists? Rarely, though it's just as hard to find scientists in the HSect as they're more lawyers and reporters and such. I suppose if a human is smart enough to get close enough to the truth or just smart enough they would be recruited as well."

"Cool."

It didn't mean he could involve his friends but it did mean they could involve themselves. He had to be careful though, the way this worked, he couldn't give them hints they'd have to figure it out themselves.

He sighed. So really, he could do nothing. He was basically on his own if you didn't count the slightly bemused CEO/prince sitting before him. Argh! What was he going to do?

"Are you quite done with your inner rant now?" Condescending, with a touch of impatience and maybe the slightest hint of… worry? Could that even be…? Nah. That crazy imagination…

"Yeah, yeah sorry."

"Then there is my Sect. Do you wish to witness a dragon's power?"

Joey's eyes widened.

"Hell yeah! You'd show me?"

"No."

Joey's face fell.

"Ass."

Seto smirked and then his face stiffened into a regal expression.

"We are ancient. We are the beasts born with this planet, its constant companions. We not only share a history with it but its treasures as well. It is our nature to guard what is ours and the gold and gems of the Earth are such. We take what comes with the wisdom of our age as our race precedes yours by millennia."

"…Why does it sound like you're reading that off a piece of paper?"

"I think I sound fairly convincing."

"Well yeah. It was perfect. It just wasn't you."

"And what would you know about me, mutt?"

"Well, you're more direct when you're tellin' someone they're inferior to ya. And that whole thing boasted age, experience. You'd go more for the smarts."

"There was that part at the end about wisdom."

"Yeah, but you're for intelligence, there's a difference."

Seto raised an eyebrow.

"Well if there's anything I know it's how you phrase your insults." Joey rolled his eyes.

"True." Seto acquiesced.

"Well, we're similar to the CSect. We can transform into dragons. Unlike the CSect though, which are actually made up of part-humans, we use special magic that gives us a shell that resembles the dominant, intelligent species. We obtain all the traits of the dominant species through this process and yes we do breathe fire. Any questions?"

_They do breathe fire, huh?_

_Yep, definitely capable of mass destruction. I'd warn myself about getting on Kaiba's bad side but he pretty much already hates me…_

"Do you have wings?"

"Yes, it is part of our original forms."

"Do you ever use your real forms?"

"Yes, though only on Drakonia Island."

"Drakonia Island?"

"Yes. An island belonging solely to dragons. We're allowed to go there for special ceremonies, though some dragons abandon mingling with the dominant species and live there permanently. I'll be visiting in six months." He muttered the last part to himself as a reminder.

"Huh? Why?"

"We dragons are very partial to the number seven for various reasons. So every seven years into every new decade of our lives, we visit. The first time I went I was seven, I'll go this year as well and again when I'm twenty seven as well."

Joey frowned.

"Wait a minute! When's yer birthday?"

"…The twenty fifth of October. Why?"

"And you haven't turned seventeen yet?"

"No, I'm still sixteen."

"Then that means… I'm older than you!"

"You're… what?" A disbelieving look crossed Seto's usually straight face with an edge of exasperation to it.

"Older! Than you! January twenty fifth, ha!" A look of triumph made Joey's face glow.

"Okay…"

"I mean, you just act so old all the time, it really came as a surprise-"

"Wheeler."

"You're just so mature an' high an' mighty an' stuff, and ya don't act sixteen that's fer sure-"

"Hey mutt."

"And you know what else? You probably haven't told anyone else when yer birthday is, so I should feel special, right?"

"Wheeler!"

"I mean, have you even celebrated yer birthday before? I bet you have though 'cause Mokuba's the type o' kid that wouldn't let you ferget that sorta thing. So I guess I swear to ya, Seto Kaiba, in six months, when this is all over, the gang and I'll come here and make you celebrate yer birthday I-"

"Joey!"

"-promise. Yeah?"

"Are you done?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Can we move on?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Okay. That's all you need to know about the DSect."

An orange glow set on Seto's face.

_That looks pretty._ Joey thought.

_The sunset… the sunset!_

"Sunset?" Seto puzzled. He glanced sideways and his eyes immediately became transfixed. He stood up and walked towards the window, fingers lightly grazed the windowpane.

"And thus you depart and I welcome the moon this night." He murmured.

"Nyeh?" Joey said loudly to the left of Seto. He blinked and glared behind him to the left.

"Ah yes. The CSect. I haven't told you about them."

"No need to Kaiba. My dad an' I are gonna have a talk tonight. I'm jus' wonderin'… what was up with that 'and thus you depart' stuff jus' now?"

"Hmm? A habit… of my father's."

"Your dad?" Joey repeated.

"And my grandfather, his father before him and onwards."

"Well why do _you _say it?"

"It's said for various reasons; I have yet to find mine."

"What does it mean?"

"It's being thankful for the light of day; there was a time when that did not exist. Recently it's become a thank you for anything good in one's life. Mostly for a love."

It didn't look like he was going to continue so Joey just watched him watch the sunset. _A thank you. Usually for a love_. Then why would Kaiba be saying it? He couldn't possibly have a girlfriend. I mean, the bastard isn't capable of love.

…Is he?

* * *

**Vamp: of course not! That ************ doesn't have a ****** soul**

_**Choc: That's mean Vamp. Of course he's able to love or else he and Joey wouldn't have their kissy time 3**_

Kam: you're both so irritating.

_**Choc: But you still love us **_

**Vamp: STFU *******

Kam: wow, what's up with you? You sound like you're about to wring Zack's neck for an hour.

**Vamp: tired. And he helped with this chapter and that frustrates me**

_**Choc: I love Zack :D we were tired and needed the help, plus it was hilarious working with him :D**_

Kam: okay, that's enough about my amazing/infuriating cousin. Let's thank other people! Like Eriasa Jun and wishfulliving89! Thank you for reviewing. You get a Brand! New! Thank you at the end of my chapter… from me… yay…

**Vamp: regrettably, it's not returnable**.

Zack: shutup.

**Vamp: you!**

Zack: me!

**Vamp: I refuse to acknowledge your usefulness! DIE!**

_**Choc: Don't worry cousin, I'll protect you!**_

Zack: from what? What are two voices in my cousin's head going to do to me?

_**Vamp and Choc: oh no you di'nt. (chases Zack)**_

Zack: (runs away) this isn't actually happening!

Kam:….. good… uh, goodbye…. And review! :D

06/01/2013


	8. Chapter 7

Kam: I would apologise.

**Vamp: You really could**

_**Choc: You really should, you mean.**_

Kam: But there was an apology chapter that I used this one to replace so if you've read that then I have already apologised and am off the hook :D

**Vamp: Going too easy on you if you ask me**

Kam: Oh? Well no one did Vamp.

**Vamp: Grrr…**

Kam: (nervously edging away to safety) Weelll, now that I'm back, hopefully for a while, here's the dramatic and chilling new instalment of Threat!

_**Choc: Can't… hold her… back.**_

Kam: Enjoy! And laters! (runs away)

**Vamp: I'll get you! (chases)**

_**Choc: Phew! Look at Kam run. If she ran that fast in PE we'd… get the same marks we always do… -_-**_

_Le Disclaimer_: I own many things that aren't Yu-Gi-Oh, like a certificate for second place in a poetry competition :D

* * *

_**Last Time**_

"_**Hmm? A habit… of my father's."**_

"_**Your dad?" Joey repeated.**_

"_**And my grandfather, his father before him and onwards."**_

"_**Well why do you say it?"**_

"_**It's said for various reasons; I have yet to find mine."**_

"_**What does it mean?"**_

"_**It's being thankful for the light of day; there was a time when that did not exist. Recently it's become a thank you for anything good in one's life. Mostly for a love."**_

_**It didn't look like he was going to continue so Joey just watched him watch the sunset. A thank you. Usually for a love. Then why would Kaiba be saying it? He couldn't possibly have a girlfriend. I mean, the bastard isn't capable of love.**_

…_**Is he?**_

* * *

**Chap 7**

"_**Mokuba."**_

_**His conclusion but not his voice. He turned to face the dark haired boy who wasn't nearly as entranced by the sunset as his brother. He couldn't believe it took him five minutes of staring him in the face.**_

_**He **_**was**_** capable of love.**_

_**The boy enchanted with the brother enchanted with the setting sun and he, enchanted with the scene.**_

_**Mokuba.**_

_**It had always been and always would be Mokuba.**_

The halfway state was fine.

Pleasant, even.

The change was a little uncomfortable but he had no complaints.

In fact, it was a nice walk in the park on a mild day with a light breeze and golden glow over bright green grass compared to the full transformation.

Now he knew why his father had dragged him to the middle of a forest (who knew Domino was anywhere near one?) on the outskirts of town. So his screams and howls could rebound off trees instead of thin walls where neighbours would wonder if the events one week prior were recurring.

Bad memories.

For both blondes as Joey yelled and cried his pain to the starry sky. Tears formed in dulled honey eyes. He felt an uncomfortable pull and pressure near his fingertips; his ears melted into his head and his centre of hearing changed. He felt something perk up on top of his head. A squeeze from every pore on his body and he felt a blanket of warmth settle all over his skin. He fell to his knees from the pain and he tasted blood in his mouth and then an ache as his jaw lengthened to accommodate his new teeth.

Dull honey eyes opened wide and brightened until they sparkled gold. The only pleasant part was a comfortable warmth and sweet tingle that made him want to laugh.

When it was done he lay on the grass and panted from exhaustion. At least the pain didn't linger. He lay there and inhaled the world for a few minutes.

A presence to his right woke him from his daze.

"The full moon helped at least." His father muttered.

"Ya mean… it can feel… worse?" He panted incredulously.

"Not much, but definitely worse." He didn't reply to his father's matter of fact statement as the man's indifferent attitude was pissing him off, and reminding him of a certain nuisance of a CEO, or prince… or whatever!

"Magnificent." Joey cocked his head inquisitively as he glanced up at his father from where the boy lounged on the ground, a blonde ear twitching.

"You're built like you've been guarding for years, it's more than just from hereditary traits," his father elaborated. "That… gang helped with that, I guess."

His father's eyes narrowed and the young wolf tentatively stood up, his head was hung low. A sigh reached the young one's slightly drooped ears.

"I'm not mad at you anymore Jo. It was my fault. Yet, despite the purely negative entity they were, they did some good. They gave you training I should have taken care of and for that I am grateful."

Joey examined his father out of the corner of his eye. Sincere words but what exactly did they mean? Nothing had been explained to him and he was still out of the loop on the rules and customs of his kind.

"Now, if you're steady, let's test your speed."

That was an abrupt change of topic.

Joey stretched and lifted his paws experimentally as his father transformed. He tried a quick flick of his tail and became intrigued by it. He tried to turn to it to inspect it properly but it was just out of his reach. He became frustrated with this and began to chase it fervently.

"I know this is new to you, son but try not to get distracted Jo."

Joey abruptly froze, realising how ridiculous he looked, and sat down as his father chuckled.

"Quite done?"

"Uh yeah." They exchanged in that strange way that wolves communicate.

"Then from here to that lake, boy."

It took him a while to locate the body of water with his senses before he nodded to the bigger wolf, a distinctly human gesture.

_He found that quickly._

Jonathon Wheeler stored that information; it would help with assessment, and took a ready stance. Joey did the same.

"Go."

Two yellow blurs dashed out of the clearing, one trailing silver and the other gold. The younger's senses stretched.

Tree. Left or right? A slight turn of his paw and he swerved smoothly to the left. His body flowed like liquid gold as it weaved through the trees. Instinct took over and he sensed the smooth rub of his fur against a trunk, against leaves. The heat of his father's presence not far to his right wavered on the edge of his senses as the older wolf slinked just as gracefully as his son.

He smelled the leaves and took in every scent the flowers offered as he slipped by them, breathed the woody aroma of the trees he dodged.

The taste of the wind touched his tongue occasionally, he could hear the pound of his and his father's feet and the sound of every crash through the undergrowth.

They skidded to a halt at the edge of the lake and Joey bent his head to experimentally lap at the water. It was cool and clear but he wasn't thirsty or tired so after a few licks he lifted his gaze to his silent father.

"Too late."

"Wha-?"

"I'm too late. Far, far too late."

"Whaddaya mean pops?"

The guilt wouldn't let up, it was crushing him. Jonathon Wheeler felt himself on the verge of tears. He did it again. He screwed up.

The test from the week before proved the strength and skill section, despite the risk of reprimand from concerned neighbours, they'd always been on his case to improve his… habits. This night proved stamina and speed and all of it was far too aggressive for someone who had never Changed before. He thought he said he could handle it! He thought he said he _would _handle it.

But that was his problem wasn't it?

He always _said_ he would.

You know it's bad when you feel betrayed by yourself. _I could never have handled this. If I'd ever bothered to try I probably would have handed him over to a trainer as soon as possible. I wouldn't have even __**tried**__ to finish the customary first year._

"I really am too late, aren't I?"

Joey had been getting worried. And when he got worried he had a habit if converting that worry to anger, much easier to vent. Something strange happened this time though; he began to scan the area for something safe to punch when he heard these last few words from his father.

… What?

What on earth was he too late for?

What wasn't he telling his only son, again?

In the dark.

His faint frustration and impatience heated.

_I'm in the dark again._

_I'm in the fucking dark again!_

He saw red and then his father's eyes. They weren't wide with the surprise of being attacked though, they were cold and detached. The eyes of a man capable of killing another. These eyes now on a wolf's naturally wary face.

The boy was frenzied. He opened with a loud, uncontrolled, tackling run before suddenly pouncing. The older quickly dropped to the ground and rolled as his son landed unsteadily on the spot his head would have been if the attack were successful.

He looked up as his boy turned to him with a feral snarl yet fully aware and frightened eyes. The sight heaped more shame on him as he realised it wasn't only fear of his loss of control but fear of his own father. He closed his eyes and relaxed his face; there was no need to revert to old habits.

He lunged suddenly and pinned the smaller wolf to the ground.

_**In the dark!**_

Anguish assaulted his mind and his guilt flared in response. The younger wolf stilled.

"If this was done normally. Traditionally. You would have had a trainer four years ago."

The smaller animal froze as it realised it was getting the answers it had been craving.

"I would have started your training at twelve and this year would have been your final year. The trainer that helped you cultivate your skills would be your temporary master and you would have had five more years to find your first true master. All that time spent is important. I should have done this, years ago and now it's too late."

Joey watched his father with now fully in control eyes. The elder Wheeler took a few deep breaths and stepped back; Joey flopped into a more comfortable position and looked at his father out of the edge of his wide brown eyes.

"I mentioned that you would be assigned a temporary master."

Joey didn't need to nod but still moved his head, his face rubbing against the grass.

"It's to guard against instinct."

A blonde ear perked curiously.

"The assignment, the trainer, the six year prep course. All of it. To stop the instinct, the monster you could become."

His large eyes widened.

"Lapdogs, Jo? It may seem so now, but the members of CSect have never been a submissive race. There was a time when we roamed untethered… that was the worst part of our history. We are much like dragons; we use the same sort of magic to shift. You'll remember when I said that dragons were as well known for their elegance as their capability for destruction. We were _only_ known for the destruction we caused."

The older wolf spoke with a customary, hereditary shame and hint of passed down pride.

"In fact, the dragons both saved and chained us. We were causing… problems and they ruled that the source of our violent nature was a lack of restraint and so they devised a way to restrain us."

His tone had turned admiring and grateful yet chagrined and resentful, how he sounded whenever he talked of dragons.

"Dragons were our first masters."

There was a silence as Joey digested the new information. He semi-expected it but that didn't mean he had accepted it. Kaiba… Kaiba was a dragon…

"They were the first to tame the beast we call instinct and their method is one we _need _to use or…"

His father trailed off.

"Your instincts will hit you soon, stronger than anything you'll ever take on. No instructor, parent or friend can help now. It's far too late to delay, I'm afraid my poor timing has left you with no choice… but to get a master."

Joey lifted his head. A what? Already?

"That's not all. It has to be done soon, you only have a few days till it hits…"

Joey stared in disbelief at the silvery blonde wolf before him with sad, hopeless eyes. He had already given up. Jonathon Wheeler stopped fighting the urge to cry. Tears slipped through his fur as he hung his head and tried desperately not to think too hard of the consequences of his negligence. He didn't keep his voice steady as he choked out his next sentence.

"You must find a master by the end of the week, midnight on Saturday at the latest. Before you turn wild… and have to be put down."

He whimpered.

"You'll feel it. You'll be hit with an emotion, any emotion; it's different for each wolf, all in response to your Master. It will be strong and stronger every day until your instincts hit, and then it's unbearable. This means that it'll get easier to find them over time but when your instincts hit it'll be too late. The moment the beast takes over you'll know exactly where your Master is. It's said that if you'd already met them without realising it you replay those memories as it happens."

"As what happens?"

"… Your natural resistance against being controlled will kick in and you'll kill your Master."

Kill?

Joey Wheeler had never killed. On a bad day he'd sent plenty to the hospital, sure, but he'd never killed.

"Joey?"

"Are you okay? You're not eating, bud."

Worried. Seems everyone he knew was worried about him.

Tristan came into focus, tapping the food that he had yet to even look at. Yugi had his hand on Joey's arm and Ryou looked fairly concerned on Yugi's right.

"Huh?" he muttered.

"Oh yeah." He started gobbling down food and that made him feel slightly better, no use worrying on an empty stomach. The relief radiated off his friends.

They sat back and stared concernedly at him behind their own untouched food. They took his sudden enthusiasm in consuming his plate as their cue to eat.

"You've been doing that a lot." Tristan pointed out with food in his mouth.

"Doin' what?" Joey questioned with his mouth full as well.

"Zoning out." Ryou swallowed before answering.

Joey just chewed his food.

"Everyone's worried about Duke and Téa, Joey." Yugi guessed at what might be on his friend's mind. For once the shorter boy couldn't be right. Joey temporarily paused in eating to take in the other boy's concerned and usually so perceptive gaze.

"I know." He said eventually and resumed stuffing his face with what was left on his plate.

"Are _you_ worried about them?"

The question was unexpected and Joey jerked his head up.

"_Yes_." He insisted to both himself and the doubtful brunette before him.

He cared dammit. Didn't he vow that he would get them back? For all of them. Especially for Yugi and Tristan. So he was a member of a secret organisation of supernatural creatures. So he was part of the most feared and dangerous Sect of the society. He was days away from either killing his owner or dying for political reasons. None of that meant that he could just forget that silent promise.

"Then why haven't you been helping us?"

Joey had almost forgotten what they'd been talking about in his fervent persuading of himself.

"What do ya mean?"

"We've been thinking of ways to find them. Tristan wants to search every day but we've still got school and we can't let anyone know about this, they'll suspect something if our grades drop suddenly." Yugi explained. Ryou piped up next.

"And yet, it's getting harder and harder to believe that this is something we can handle on our own. We're going to have to find a plan soon."

Joey's eyes stayed on Tristan and he watched those greenish-brown eyes struggle with a desperate, uncertain fury.

"So where have you been?" Tristan's voice was laced with pain and rage. Joey took a moment to answer.

"I know it may not seem like it, but I am helping."

"You were only ever there the first night Joey." Tristan had stopped eating and Joey swallowed his last mouthful, the two smaller boys at their table remained silent and forced small bits of food into their mouths.

Joey lowered his eyes to his lap and thought back to that night and a strangely hysterical Tristan. He'd calmed his out of character friend down before urging him to call the others. He met them at the mall Duke and Téa said they were going shopping and they'd spread out from there. For the longest time they had yet to find anything before Joey came across a scattering of broken glass and two still sticky spots of what looked like blood.

They'd stared horrified at the spots before Yugi and Ryou had bent down. Ryou bent to confirm their thoughts of blood; he turned with a relieved smile. Yugi on the other hand turned with tears in his eyes and Téa's favourite bracelet in his hands, a gift he'd gotten her ages ago.

That was the first night.

Every other night he'd been busy. Sunday was a workday; he still had to bring something home. Monday was bombshell night, he couldn't concentrate on reality long enough to be effective. Last night…

"… _**you'll kill your master."**_

"Nothing."

Joey closed his eyes.

"You're not going to say anything. I thought you said you cared Joey!"

_Keep quiet. Hold your tongue._

"If you care so much Joey why aren't you helping us?" Tristan was shouting now, heads were turning to him.

"I _am_ helpin'! It's bec-"

It was on the tip of his tongue.

What the Sects were, that he was part of them, Kaiba too, how he'd approached the arrogant bastard for information. That they'd come to what was vaguely a mutual partnership and everything afterward. All of it.

But then Joey did something he rarely considered before acting. He thought.

The consequences for such a reckless action could be devastating. He couldn't risk his friends' safety.

"… I can't tell ya." He finished lamely, his hair hung in his eyes as he shamefully lowered his head. Tristan stood up stiffly. Everything he'd feared was true; Joey didn't really care.

"Thought so." He stalked off and silence descended on the table, broken rudely and gracelessly by the bell for class.

"C'mon Joey." Yugi coaxed the dark-looking boy.

Joey stood up slowly to follow his friends. The smaller boys walked beside each other and didn't look back. So they thought he didn't care either, huh? He clenched his fists and didn't realise he'd stopped walking. His hands shook as he watched the backs of his friends drift away from him. He was suddenly assaulted by a heated rage. It was painful and his limbs immediately stiffened as he refrained from punching the ground and breaking through it with the incredible unnatural strength he suddenly felt.

His sight was slipping and Yugi and Ryou's brightly coloured hair was fading. Their forms were getting distant, leaving him. Like his old identity, like his friend's trust and faith and, with every gut punch of power and rage driving him to his knees, like his own life.

* * *

**Vamp: There it is**

_**Choc: Hope You enjoyed :D**_

Kam: No time!

**_All: Please review!_**


	9. Chapter 8

Kay: I'm not going to apologise. You guys should know that my heart is breaking because I took too long to update.

_**Choc: Don't listen to her. She's a lazy, uninspired, boring, unreliable-**_

**Vamp: I think they get it Choc.**

Kay: O_O... never thought I'd see the day when _Vamp_ defended me from _Choc_. That's just how I know that I've royally messed up.

**Vamp: You **_**were **_**busy with family and suffering writer's block and suffering through endless projects. I'm just making sure people know your reasons. I'm nothing if not fair.**

_**Choc: She also made promises... and then broke them... **_

Kay: Okay, I _am_ apologising. (I'm sorry) I just won't ask for your forgiveness. This conveniently turned out to be a long chapter so hopefully that makes it better. I struggled with this for so long.

_**Choc: Enjoy you wonderfully patient sweetie pies~**_

* * *

Last Time

_Keep quiet. Hold your tongue._

"If you care so much Joey why aren't you helping us?" Tristan was shouting now, heads were turning to him.

"I _am_ helpin'! It's bec-"

It was on the tip of his tongue.

What the Sects were, that he was part of them, Kaiba too, how he'd approached the arrogant bastard for information. That they'd come to what was vaguely a mutual partnership and everything afterward. All of it.

But then Joey did something he rarely considered before acting. He thought.

The consequences for such a reckless action could be devastating. He couldn't risk his friends' safety.

"… I can't tell ya." He finished lamely, his hair hung in his eyes as he shamefully lowered his head. Tristan stood up stiffly. Everything he'd feared was true; Joey didn't really care.

"Thought so." He stalked off and silence descended on the table, broken rudely and gracelessly by the bell for class.

"C'mon Joey." Yugi coaxed the dark-looking boy.

Joey stood up slowly to follow his friends. The smaller boys walked beside each other and didn't look back. So they thought he didn't care either, huh? He clenched his fists and didn't realise he'd stopped walking. His hands shook as he watched the backs of his friends drift away from him. He was suddenly assaulted by a heated rage. It was painful and his limbs immediately stiffened as he refrained from punching the ground and breaking through it with the incredible unnatural strength he suddenly felt.

His sight was slipping and Yugi and Ryou's brightly coloured hair was fading. Their forms were getting distant, leaving him. Like his old identity, like his friend's trust and faith and, with every gut punch of power and rage driving him to his knees, like his own life.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**No one could deny that**** Seto**** Kaiba was a royal jerk****.**

**B****ut they couldn't deny he had great taste in cars as well.**

**This fact was proven by the turning of heads as one of the most expensive cars the public had likely ever seen ghosted past the lucky few that ****got to****. Lazarus, the ghost that remembered nothing from his old life besides his first name and love of cars, sat proudly in that magnificent piece-of-artwork's driver's seat.**

**His head jerked to the side suddenly and he slowed the car.**

**What was that feeling he was getting? From that strange old building?**

**He braked and the car stilled. He drifted through the door and hovered uncertainly. He'd never felt **_**this**_** before. ****Sensing spirits leaving their bodies was normal for a ghost ****but **_**this**_** was a violent fight. Like a spirit was caged in its shell and couldn't leave no matter how forcefully and numerously it strained against its ****forced bonds****.**

**Something unnatural was going on here.**

"**Maybe I should tell the boss…?" he muttered aloud.**

"**Hi there." The woman appeared out of nowhere. He blinked and stepped back warily.**

"**I'm afraid you've seen too much, my dear."**

**His eyes widened and he fought the immediate fear he felt. "I-I didn't see nothin'-."**

"**If so then what were you going to tell the boss?"**

**Her absolute calm had the heart he'd ceased to have ages ago pounding against his chest for some reason.**

"**It's a good thing my beautiful experiment number one has already woken up. Duke, my boy, bring our guest inside for some tea."**

Joey didn't say goodbye to his friends that day. If anything, he avoided them. It was a good thing he did that or he might have ended up hurting one of them as he fought his growing rage. It came in bouts of uncontrollable strength and fever and he had to fight to just keep still. Needless to say, he paid less attention in class that day than he ever had before.

He also noticed, when not fighting intense anger, that Seto Kaiba was absent from school that day. Well, absent from all the classes the CEO shared with the blonde boy and considering the fact that they shared more time together than either wished, it was safe to assume the brunette was absent from school altogether.

Standing outside of Domino High's front gates Joey wondered if Kaiba even cared.

_I mean, 'e said it 'imself. The HSect takes care o' dese sortsa things, he doesn't get too involved._

The tired boy would have gone home to start his search for a master instead of fruitlessly waiting if he hadn't gotten a stronger bout of rage as a limo pulled up in front of him. For some reason a certain smell was constantly attacking his nostrils. A scent that stung his nose with its cold and yet soothed the heat of his rage as it permeated him.

Before he could think on it further the door to the expensive car opened and a boy suited in a private school uniform opened the door. His pleasant expression disrupted as he laid eyes on the strained face of the blonde.

"Joey! Are you alright?" Mokuba ran to his friend.

"Jus' peachy Mokes." Joey muttered through gritted teeth. The moment the concerned boy made contact with the struggling wolfling the blonde stilled. It was the scent without the cold. And for some reason, though the cold soothed the heat of his anger, the absence of it calmed him. Joey breathed a sigh of relief for the first time since lunch.

Mokuba still frowned in concern.

"You sure?" he tried to confirm.

"I'm right as rain, kid." Joey assured him with a smile on his face, looking believable this time around.

"Where's moneybags though?"

"Seto had something to check out. He told me he got a call this morning about one of our chauffeurs, Laz."

Joey nearly choked at "one of our chauffeurs", I mean, how many could you need? Then he frowned. Was something wrong with Laz? The guy seemed okay last Joey saw him.

In truth, Mokuba was anxious as well. His brother may have some degree of concern for his employees, supernatural or not, but he wouldn't let himself be called away for something trivial.

"So why are you here Mokuba? Ya don' need ta pick rich-boy up from school if he's not here." Joey grinned, once he reasoned that he had enough on his plate and Seto could deal with whatever the problem was concerning Laz, and ignored the twinge of guilt.

"I'm here to pick _you_ up today." Mokuba smiled in return, shrugging off his own worry. "Seto said that because he couldn't, I would have to show you around the facilities today like he promised you yesterday."

Joey blinked.

"Now come on," Mokuba urged. "We need to get this investigation in full swing already."

"He wasn't anywhere in the school."

"Yugi, when have you ever known Joey to stay longer than necessary after school?"

"I know, Ryou, but we haven't seen him since lunch and I'm worried."

"Well he wasn't in detention, or sleeping in his last class so I assume he went home."

"Or to Kaiba's." Tristan bitter voice cut in.

The three officially stepped outside of Domino High School just as a limousine swept away from the scene. The three boys watched it go in silence.

"Well in either case he's not here anymore." Ryou stated. Yugi looked thoughtful.

"You know this whole 'hanging out with Kaiba' thing started on Monday." He observed.

"Yes, from when I saw him stay behind to talk to Kaiba for a bit after lunch." Ryou added.

"Yeah, and then that same day he ran off after school and told me to tell you guys not to wait for him." Tristan put in.

"And every day since then…" Ryou began.

"Joey's been getting a ride from that bastard." Ryou blushed at the way Tristan put it. Curse the time he spent with Bakura in his head.

"Don't get angry guys," Yugi tried to relax the tension in a way that wouldn't make Tristan blow up at them. "Maybe the reason Joey's hanging out with Kaiba is to get information from him." he suggested. Ryou looked accepting but Tristan, though he looked like he wanted to believe it, was still sceptical.

"Then why didn't he tell us?" he demanded.

"Maybe Kaiba doesn't want anyone to know that he's helping Joey." Ryou suggested. Yugi nodded.

"That sounds possible, I mean, those two have never gotten along. If people find out Seto Kaiba is helping Joey Wheeler they'll assume the sexual tension the fangirls imagined broke and that there are things going on that no one in polite society should speak of." He said with an amused yet, strangely, still innocent smile.

Ryou blushed again, thinking of what Tristan had said earlier. Oh, double-curse that spirit's filthy mind and those evil fangirls.

"I don't care about the reasons for not telling the school, if he really cared he'd still tell us." Tristan dismissed. "Now I'm doing what we should have done the moment we found out Duke and Téa were missing." Tristan began to walk in a specific direction.

Ryou caught up as Yugi sighed with worry at his friends and spent a little extra time missing Atem before following. He decided to agree with the taller boy before the anxious brunette chased them away.

"It's not like we can do anything else, we don't have Atem's spiritual assistance anymore."

Ryou nodded. "It was bound to happen eventually, so let's go now."

It wasn't the mansion. _That_ he wasn't surprised about.

It wasn't Kaiba Corp either. That he _was_ surprised about.

The biggest surprise of all came from the fact that Domino City's Sect Headquarters was located within the _second_ biggest building in Domino.

He didn't know what the building was for but its real purpose was hidden so well and yet dominated the building so much that it hardly mattered. Joey stepped out of the limo, making sure to keep as close as he could to Mokuba Kaiba as the boy had a strange way of calming his rising werewolf instincts just by proximity and Joey needed a break from fighting the urge to attack someone.

His first words were: "Eh? Here?"

Mokuba chuckled.

"Yes Joey. Here."

They entered the building, leaving the growling of motors from passing cars and bustle of people walking the streets behind, and Joey tried as hard as he could to find anything unusual within the building. He put the, admittedly limited, observance skills he had to the test. They'd walked past a receptionist desk, several waiting areas and four tables where you could make your own coffee while you wait and Joey still hadn't seen anything unusual.

"If this is it why's everythin' so normal?"

"It's a secret headquarters for a reason Joey. There are certain, select floors in which Sect operations are conducted. This company also employs regular humans who are not given clearance to access these levels." Mokuba started his description of the facility once they'd entered the elevator; his childish voice gained a practised air of sophistication.

"Sect operations are conducted on levels: two, which acts our level one, four to six, ten to seventeen and the top floor which acts as the office of the head of this Sect building."

"Wait-wait, wait, wait. A whole_ floor_?" Joey stared incredulously at the shorter boy as he watched the floors go by.

"He needs the space, trust me. He's as involved with Sect cover-ups as anyone else in this building and not all directors care as much."

"Oh?" Joey vaguely questioned, looking for more information.

"Yeah. Most Sect building directors are just wealthy HSect members. All they're required to do is provide headquarters and they maintain their own companies or careers with little to no involvement in the actual work of HSect. This director's special, he uses the _entire_ floor to observe all Sect _and _normal employees, keep up to date with any problems and findings of the organisation, as well as keeps a part of it to manage his own company."

Joey whistled as the doors swished open.

"Sounds like an impressive guy." He admired as they stepped onto the floor.

"What floor is this?" he looked around.

"Thirteen."

It looked like a normal office with boring cubicles and partitions separating them. The only unusual thing about them was their unnaturally large size. It looked more like an apartment building.

This image was reinforced when they walked past an open cubicle and saw an occupied bed.

Joey breathed and was suddenly shocked. There was a smell nearby that was… familiar to him. He sniffed several times to catch more of it but as he continued to walk the scent became fainter until the lightly desperate pants he was making subsided with a curious look from the black-haired boy beside him. A midnight-leaf green eye tracked his movements past the cubicle door and lanky limbs unfurled as a boy stretched languidly, preparing to meet the visitor.

After an awkward dismissive smile at Mokuba Joey stared forward, determined to figure out the smell the next time he came across it. For now, though, there was a door up ahead and the shorter of the two companions led him to it. A golden plaque labelled the room as the Director's. Joey wondered, not for the first time, how the Sects gathered their information. There were probably reporters to keep an eye out for any Sect member breaking the rules. If any of those events got out of hand they'd have Sect lawyers to bail out the Sect offenders. Joey frowned. They better have a specific jail of their own to keep the criminals in.

The dull click of the oak-wood door opening made him drop his musings as he startled. He took a tentative step into the room, following Mokuba's lead. His mind went completely blank and his mouth dropped before he stuttered out a startled cry.

"P-Pegasus?"

Said silver-haired man gazed curiously at the bug-eyed boy and then turned to the smaller of the two.

"Mokuba, child, I have been patiently waiting for your dear big brother. Are you here to tell me where he is?"

The small boy eyed the crimson-clad man and crossed his arms defensively. "Mr Pegasus, I wasn't aware you were arriving today," He said guardedly. "Or at all." He muttered.

Maximillion Pegasus stepped away from the rows of camera screens situated on the right wall of the director's room and walked toward the pair.

"That's a bit of a hostile greeting my dear boy, something on your mind?"

Mokuba pouted momentarily then sighed in resignation as he dropped his arms. "It's nothing."

Before the eldest and youngest could continue to converse Joey's rattled voice cut in.

"W-wait a second!" at their expectant looks Joey's franticness turned down a few notches and in a, slightly, calmer tone he demanded to know why Pegasus was there.

"Well, if you'd let the conversation continue Mr Wheeler you wouldn't have had to ask." Pegasus berated the flustered teen. Mokuba turned to him next.

"I don't know either Joey, you really should have let him speak." Being scolded by both of them made Joey's cheeks redden and he tentatively traipsed toward one of the chairs in front of the director's seat. Sitting quietly he waited for Mokuba to sit down next to him and for Pegasus to begin explaining.

"Well, Kaiba-b-," he was interrupted by the sound of the door opening a second time and a lanky tar-headed boy with dark green eyes entering the room. He froze in the doorway and took in three heated gazes nervously.

"Uhm… did I interrupt… something?" he questioned tentatively. A sigh was heard from Mokuba as he closed his eyes and chased away his irritation.

"You wouldn't be the first. Come on in Jordan, what did you want?" the smaller, dark-haired boy inquired.

"Ahaha… I was looking for Sarah…" he trailed off.

"Ah, the director isn't here at the moment. The sweet girl ran off on some errand shortly after leading me here." Pegasus informed the boy.

"Oh. Can I wait for her then?"

"Go ahead," Mokuba invited. The boy, Jordan, took the seat beside Joey and that scent flared up in Joey's nostrils again. He frowned and glanced distractedly at the new arrival before a few words caught his ear.

"-thinks this might escalate to involve the world, and I have to say that I agree." Joey drove his gaze to reach the standing silver-head as he explained his involvement.

"A few of my visiting employees took on the police station at the moment of our arrival. They were lucky enough to get a description of this strange event from three teens approaching them today."

"Who?" Joey questioned, keeping his voice neutral.

"Yugi Motou, Ryou Bakura and Tristan Taylor." Pegasus listed without looking at the blonde.

"It's nothin' I haven't told ya."

"True, but the boys' description of the area prodded my men into searching the police station for any further evidence of strange activity in the buildings nearby. They should be telling me the results of their search soon."

There was a buzz and the man elegantly pulled out a sleek cell phone. He tapped the screen a few times before searching the room with his eyes and approaching a connector located in the corner of the room closest to the director's chair.

He plugged his phone into the system and a menu popped up on the biggest of the screens. After a few minutes of navigation there was a report depicted on the screen.

"I see." Jordan husked. Joey's eyes flicked toward him.

"What?"

"If you read the report it says that a woman, probably a neighbour of our suspects, reported seeing two people, a man and a woman, carrying what seemed to be two corpses to their apartment. She debated a few minutes before deciding to call the cops but before they could get there, her neighbours had disappeared. The woman hadn't seen the pair leave, only enter."

A silence followed. Joey wanted to hope, it was hard not to with the evidence staring him blatantly in the face. The two people on the other side of the line that Tristan had mentioned. Jabdul and something Jordan. This could be them.

"The bodies they were carrying looked like a boy and girl too." Pegasus noted.

Joey stiffened. Corpses? Bodies? Joey had to remind himself that Tristan had told him that the two crazies had said they only _looked_ dead. His heart calmed slightly.

"The bad news is that the two apparently left no trace of their presence," Jordan continued. Joey's heart skipped again. "No traces, no leads."

Joey gritted his teeth and growled in slight frustration. His anger was coming back to him, weird, Mokuba was supposed to sooth that. He glanced back at where he expected the boy to be and found an empty chair. He breathed heavily, his muscles shook with that new and strange confounding rage. Why was he so angry?

"Hmm? What's wrong with Mr Wheeler?" Pegasus muttered curiously, his words going unheard by the struggling wolfling. Jordan twisted to face Joey and his eyes widened.

"Shit." He muttered. He stood up slowly as Joey's efforts to calm his breathing obviously failed. Lightly, but urgently, grabbing the elder man's hand he tugged a startled Pegasus to the door. "Be quiet and distance yourself." He instructed firmly.

Pegasus ignored the disrespect as curiosity enveloped him and he became rooted. A harsh tug forcefully pulled his body away from a struggling Joey and his ear to a panicked Jordan. "Mr Pegasus, are you in the mood to _die_?" he questioned irately. Getting the message Maximillion followed the tar-head into the hallway.

With nothing to attack, Joey found his rage calmed slightly. After a few minutes he was back in control and his anger was barely there. At that moment Mokuba stepped back into the room and looked at him quizzically.

"Er… hey." He said into the silence.

"Mind telling me why Jordan and Pegasus are fearfully staring at you from a safe distance away?" the boy looked slightly amused.

"_**This is not something you can tell anyone Jo. Especially those in the Sect world. They're legally obligated to capture you or personally execute you in this situation."**_

Joey grinned shakily but didn't know what to say. He couldn't think up an excuse. Mokuba's light grin faltered at Joey's averted eyes and masked expression. He bit his lip before calling to the two standing behind him and stepping back into the office.

With Mokuba's presence restored Joey felt the remains of his unnatural rage dissipate. He smiled in relief but realised that Mokuba was only a temporary fix. He needed to find his true master, and soon.

"You even gave Jordan a scare," Mokuba said suddenly. "And there's not much that scares our top nose in this department." He praised.

Joey frowned. Jordan laughed lightly and stepped forward. He dumped himself in his previous seat and slipped down on it so his butt was seated on the edge of the chair. Was that what he'd been smelling?

"Yep," Jordan affirmed. "I'm a wolf. Just like you." Instead of relaxing Joey this served only to make him put up a guard, a wall to ward off the tar-head.

"We're done here I believe." Pegasus said. Joey took the out and stood to leave. Mokuba followed suit but was halted by Pegasus' voice. "There is something we need to discuss young Kaiba-boy, I need you to stay behind." Mokuba stilled and bit his lip, knowing that the man wanted to know where he'd slipped off to.

"It's alright Mr Kaiba," Jordan offered as he stood as well. "I'll give the new guy a ride home."

Mokuba nodded and smiled. "Alright, bye Joey." He called after the retreating boys' backs. "Bye Mokes." Joey called over his shoulder.

"Now, since the royal Prince Kaiba will not grace me with his presence personally, I must ask you to answer my questions. I take it your brother has told you what I need to know?"

Joey apprehensively watched the other werewolf wave to people in passing cubicles and tore his inner calm to pieces wondering exactly _why_ the two had left the room and been looking at him like that.

He glanced back as Jordan smirked at a girl who then blushed. He heard the soft chuckle that followed and turned forward again. They couldn't know, could they? Or Jordan wouldn't be smiling like that. He wouldn't be following Joey with such a cheerful, carefree expression. Where were the growls? The mean looks and tense postures and narrowed eye-?

"Hey! Have you met the new guy?" Joey's body was so tense he felt it would hurt to move. Jordan held him in a headlock, turned to face the occupant of a cubicle mere centimetres from the elevator, Joey's eyes twitched toward the doors.

"What're ya talkin' about?" he frowned pseudo-casually. Jordan looked down at him as the occupant, apparently used to the 'wolf's behaviour, merely looked curiously at them.

"The new guy."

"Jordan, we're not getting a new guy. We don't _need_ a new guy." Jordan looked up at the woman and frowned before blushing furiously.

"Huh? Guess I just assumed." He muttered sheepishly.

He laughed nervously as the woman rolled her eyes and turned to work again. Jordan anxiously toed his way to the elevator where Joey was finally given momentary relief only to tense again at the strange boy's next words.

"What's your name?"

Joey glanced sharply to his right where, beside the buttons, Jordan stood nonchalantly.

"... Joey." He said simply. Jordan nodded in response, his shaggy hair rubbing against the walls of the elevator. A few moments passed in silence and Joey watched the floors tick down. 14... 13...

"I'd give you a day."

Joey's attention diverted. "'Till what?"

"'Till you snap. And then another hour after you're captured to die."

Joey counted the days in his head. _If taday is Thursday then..._

"I've got till Saturday, don' underestimate me." Joey growled then blinked. "Wait, why aren't you turnin' me in?"

"Would you rather I haul you to the nearest cell and lock you up?" Jordan asked acidly. Joey didn't back down.

"O'course not, but I'd like ta know ya motives fer helpin' me." He argued. Jordan looked to the floor for a moment before meeting Joey's curious gaze.

"If you must know, my cousin was in your situation. Orphan, grew up without knowing who he was, by the time we got to him it was too late. He had a week."

Joey's expression cooled from fiery to solemn within moments.

"I spent every minute of that time with him. I watched him be torn apart by our self-made chains. He didn't just get angry, he became depressed. He had a day left before he begged me to kill him."

Joey swallowed.

"So maybe I'm waiting to see how long it'll take you to beg." He murmured darkly.

Joey's lip quivered. In rage or fear, he didn't know. Jordan observed him with dead eyes.

_He's reacting timidly. Maybe I didn't need that extra insurance… _he thought, remembering his earlier outburst to his colleague. Of course he knew Joey wasn't going to be working in the building, he just needed someone to see them together so they'd know who to look for when he showed up mauled and bloody.

"But... actually… I know that last week he spent with me was happy, so maybe I want to know... _who _you'd beg to take your life."

Joey shut his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth. A deep rumble started in his throat but Jordan didn't run this time. There was nowhere to run to.

"Do I look like I'm about ta run ta you?" The blonde exploded. "Joey Wheeler does not beg! I've been tru tough spots tonsa times, if I can deal wit all o' dat then I can deal wit dis. So, once again, _don'_ underestimate me."

Jordan blinked.

4... 3... 2...

He smirked, it widened into a smile, and then a full-on grin. The doors opened and Joey was once again grabbed by the taller boy as he laughed.

"I like you Joey," He chuckled.

"So I'm gonna help you."

* * *

Kay: Hopefully, even with the wait, this chapter was enjoyable and you'll tell me what you think?

_**Choc: All our love to reviewers **_

Kay: Huggles to ZackTaylor (Sorry I didn't thank you last chapter) and kittywitchy Your review made sure I remembered to update. This went out to you two (That statement may have been more useful before the chapter) :P


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